


Her Human's Human

by NarryMusings



Series: The Button Chronicles [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: And More Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Narry - Freeform, harry has a cat, introducing Button, narry storan - Freeform, the cat has a harry, the cat isn't very fond of niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 03:55:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2414081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarryMusings/pseuds/NarryMusings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Button isn't quite sure what to make of the new blond boy in her human's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Her Human's Human

**Author's Note:**

> Hii. 
> 
> So I had this idea if Harry owning a cat and the cat not liking Niall and I got two stories out of this idea. So far. One's in the cat's perspective and the other is in Harry's.  
> This one's in the cat's persepective.
> 
> Enjoy!

Button has always considered herself a fairly calm and easy-going feline. Simple in the sense that she's never needed much aside from food, water and her human.

Her human's name is Harry. He's a tall and lanky boy, clumsy and awkward like his limbs are too long for him to function properly. But he's also very charming and polite and incredibly sweet. Plus, he's really good at cuddling; his body is always warm and he always smells like fresh air.

Button loves her human. Has loved him from the moment they set eyes on one another.

She was just a kitten when she met Harry. Had been abandoned by her human family, left to fend for herself despite the fact she didn't know how. She barely had control of her own limbs, couldn't quite figure out what to do with her tail. She'd managed to eat a few bugs and some grass and drink water that fell from the sky. 

She'd been perched on a rock next to a creek when she'd heard rustling in some bushes behind her before, seconds later, a boy with wild curls and gangly limbs had come stumbling into view. She'd stared at him and he'd stared back before he maneuvered himself towards the creek to sit on a larger rock next to him. He dipped his hands into the water, creating a kind of bowl out of his palms and fingers before holding them down in front of her. She stared at him for a moment longer before dipping her head down to drink the water – which was much easier than trying to drink out of the creek. (She’d fallen in once or twice already, after all.)

It went on for a few not days – this boy, who tells her his name is Harry and that he's 16, comes down to the creek every day and lets her drink out of the palms of his hands, strokes her fur and lets her climb into his lap to find warmth. And then one day he tells her he's going to bring her home with him. He hides her in his room, buys food and a litter box from the pet store with the money he says he's earned from working at the bakery. 

She stays hidden for months before Harry's mum bounds into his bedroom unannounced to find her curled up on Harry's chest while Harry was reading. His mum was shocked and angry at Harry for lying and when Harry had started to panic and cry, Button had cowered under the bed in fear.

Harry had started to beg his mum to let him keep her, whilst his mum had been incredibly skeptical. "Please, mum? Please! She was abandoned, mum – whoever had her before just left her. I found her by the creek and she looked so sad and alone so I went back every day for like a week and she was always there. Please let me keep her. Please don't make me abandon her."

His mum had said yes, after that. And then Harry had kneeled down on the floor and cooed for her to come out from under the bed. When she did, he's picked her up and introduced her to his mum who had pet her head gently and then told Harry he might as well get the litter box and her food and water bowls out of his bedroom so she could roam around the rest of the house.

They've been inseparable ever since. 

That is, until two and a half years later – they've since moved to London so Harry could attend University – when Harry meets Niall.

X

The first time Button hears Harry mention Niall is when they're having dinner one evening after Harry's afternoon class. Harry's eating at the small table between the living room and the kitchen, whilst Button is eating out of her bowl on the floor next to him. She's just finished eating and jumped into Harry's lap when his pocket begins to vibrate. 

"Sorry, Luv," he murmurs, shifting awkwardly so he can pull his phone out of his pocket. She looks up at him and sees him smile down at the screen before he answers it. "Hey, Niall."

Her ears perk up as Harry rubs his fingers over her spine just the way she likes it because who's Niall? She knows Louis and Zayn and Nick, but who's Niall? Niall is new.

"No, I'm not doing anything tonight – was just gonna hang out with Button." Pause. "She's my cat." Pause. "Who's Five Sauce?" Pause. "Oh, 5 Seconds of Summer, yeah I've heard of them!" Pause. "Yeah, mate, sure! What time do you want me to meet ya?" Pause. "Yeah, no, that works. I'll see you in 30."

A few minutes later Harry moves Button onto the table before he goes into the kitchen to wash his dishes – and hers. Then he disappears into the bedroom and comes out wearing a completely different outfit. 

Button meows at him as he wanders around the flat to collect his beanie and his wallet.

"Sorry, babes, I gotta go," he tells her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "I have a date. Well, it's not technically a date – yet. But we'll just have to see, won't we?"

And then he's gone and Button is left alone to entertain herself. 

[The first time Button hears the name Niall is also the first time Harry leaves her on a week night in ages. It's not a very good first impression.]

X

The first time Button meets Niall, the boy comes bounding into the flat behind Harry laughing loudly and jumping around a little too excitedly. Harry's laughing too, poking the blond haired boy in the stomach which elicits even more loud laughter and stumbling. They begin to rough house, the blond boy making a whole bunch of noise and Button, who isn't used to such loud noises, cowers away from them until her bum hits the side of the sofa. She promptly jumps onto the arm of the sofa seconds before both boys tumble towards the floor. 

Harry lands on his back whilst the blond boy lands on top of him with an "oof". Blondie props himself up on his hands, staring down at Harry who's staring back up at the loud boy.

Button meows, then, feeling jealous and, albeit, a little bit scared. Harry is her human and he always greets her when he comes home. 

Both boys part ways – Blondie rolling off Harry's body to stand upright while Harry pushes himself up into a sitting position. "Hey, Lovely," Harry murmurs, reaching out to pet Button on the head. "Niall, this is my baby: Button."

"Hey, girl," Niall says, reaching his hand out to pet her. 

Button hisses, swatting at the foreign hand with her claws out. Her claws scrape across the top of Niall's hand before she jumps off the sofa and runs around to hide behind the back of it. 

"Jesus – fucking – shit!" Niall curses, gripping his wounded hand in the other hand. 

Harry jumps to his feet and then pulls the blond boy towards the sink in the kitchen, running Niall's hand under the water. "Sorry, she gets like that sometimes with strangers."

"Nah, it's fine. Stings like hell though."

Button growls at both of them as they walk back towards the sofa and ignores Harry who reaches out for her. He coos at her, tries to coax her into joining them on the sofa but Button doesn't like the Niall boy and she's mad at Harry so she turns away from them and disappears into the bedroom. 

Niall's shouts and hollers and cheers and grunts are the only things she hears for the rest of the evening as they play FIFA on the TV box. And only when Niall's gone for the night does she acknowledge Harry again, who pulls her into his arms upon crawling into bed to sleep. 

X

The fifth time Niall comes over he causes a ruckus. He pushes Harry up against the door after slamming it closed, which startles Button out of her slumber on the window sill. And then there are things falling off tables and shelves and articles of clothing are falling to the floor too as they stumble through the flat towards the bedroom. Niall's kissing Harry, running his hands all over Harry's body which elicits sounds out of Harry's throats. Sounds that Button has never heard before, sounds that kind of scare her. 

The bedroom door slams closed behind them as they stumble into the room, giggling and whimpering.  
Button jumps down off the window sill and walks towards the door. She tries to bump it open with her head; Harry doesn't usually close the door but on the odd occasion that he does, she's always able to nudge it open. Except this time she isn't because the door won’t open. She sits back and paws softly at the door. When there's no response she bares her claws and scratches, meowing loudly – but the noises from inside the room drown out her own cries.

The door doesn't open for hours. Hours in which Button spends lying and sitting on the floor outside the door, waiting. 

Harry's completely starkers when the door does open and Button peers up at him curiously. His skin looks wet and his hair is messy and he looks exhausted but also kind of happy. She glances around him into the room to find the blond boy lying on the bed – on her side if the bed – with his head on her pillow. 

"Come inside if you're coming, Button," Harry murmurs, crawling back under the covers next to Niall. Both boys curl themselves around each other before Harry runs his hand across the mattress as he tries to attract Button's attention. 

Button just wants Niall to leave. She wants him to get out of her spot and off of her pillow and out of the flat and away from her human. 

X

The thing is, Button really doesn't like Niall. 

He's loud and he's obnoxious and he makes messes all over the flat and he's almost stepped on her four times in the span of two weeks. Not to mention the fact that he keeps stealing all of Harry's attention.

Every time Niall is at the flat, which is more often than not these days, it's like Harry forgets that Button is there. 

He cuddles into the blonde's side when they're watching the TV box and forgets to cuddle with Button. He disappears into the bedroom with Niall for what feels like hours and leaves Button all alone outside the door. And even when he lets Button into the room Harry lets Niall cuddle up to him, lets Niall take up all the space on her side of the bed so there's hardly any room for Button anyway.

Button just wants her human back; doesn't want to share her human with any other human. Harry's supposed to be her human, after all, not Niall's. 

X

Niall opens the bedroom door for Button to come inside but rather than join them, she turns away with her chin raised stubbornly. Instead of going into the bedroom to try and weasel her way between the boys, she curls herself up on the sofa. 

"I think she just snubbed me, Haz," Niall is saying from inside the bedroom. 

"Noooooo," Harry drawls cutely.

"She did, Harry. And I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"She's just stubborn. You should talk to her more."

"Talk to her. She's a cat, Harry."

"I talk to her all the time."

"Does she answer you?"

"Sometimes," Harry giggles. "No, but really. She might start to like you if you tried talking to her."

"And what am I meant to talk to her about? We don't exactly have very much in common."

"You have me..? And you're both important to me, so..."

There's a pause and a moan and then a whisper in Niall's voice. "You're important to me too."

If Button could speak English, she'd use it to tell both of them she wants nothing to do with Niall Horan.

X

Niall begins to spend more and more time at the flat, so Button begins to spend more and more time ignoring the blond boy. And, by default, she tends to spend that time ignoring Harry as well, but only because Harry is always with Niall.

And she misses Harry. She misses their "kitty cuddles" and the little kisses he puts on her nose and the way he used to talk to her all the time, about everything. She misses when Harry was her human, when she didn't have to share him with anyone on a regular basis. Sure, she sometimes had to share Harry with his mum and his sister and his best friend, Louis, but that was different. They didn't spend every waking moment with Harry; they only came over sometimes and when they did come over they paid just as much attention to Button as they did to Harry. They didn't try to take Harry away from Button.

Niall is trying to take Harry away. 

Niall gets to have kitty cuddles all the time, gets to have Harry kiss him all over his face and his nose – and he giggles about it too – and Harry talks to Niall all the time, about everything. It's like Niall is Harry's new kitty, like Harry loves Niall more than Button.

It's like Button has been replaced.

X

Button watches Harry kiss Niall by the door, hears him whisper things like "goodbye" and "goodnight" and "just be there for him, you're a great friend, Ni." And Button is confused because Niall always spends the night now, despite the fact that Button always squishes her way between the boys in bed so she's closer to Harry.

And then Niall is gone and Harry turns around, looking kind of sad and lost. Button meows, trotting across the room to get to him before bumping her head against his leg.

Harry bends down, scoops her up into his arms and cradles her to his chest. He's warm and his sweater is soft and his arms are tight and...Button has definitely missed this. "Looks like it's just you and me tonight, Button," he murmurs, kissing the top of her head.

She purrs, digging her head into his chest as he carries her into the bedroom. He lies down on his back on top of the sheets, letting her curl into a ball on his chest. 

"Niall's friend Liam broke up with his girlfriend today, so he went to spend the night with Liam," Harry's deep voice says suddenly. "He's really worried about Liam; I've never seen him more worried."

Button scowls.

It's silent for a few more minutes as Harry strokes the fur over her back and scratches at the space between her ears. She purrs, happily, kneading softly at the fabric of his sweater. This is the kind of kitty cuddles she's missed; the kind she loves. And this is Harry, warm and soft and cuddly and smells like the outside; this is the boy she loves.

"I know you don't like him very much, Button," he murmurs.

That's an understatement, Button thinks.

"But I really, really like him, babes. Niall – not Liam. I just...I like him so much and I really love you and I – can you give him a chance? Just – for me, just give him a chance, yeah?"

Button huffs, burying her face into his chest. If Harry thinks that she's actually going to give the loud, Irish boy who talks too much and walks around like he owns the place a chance then he's mistaken. 

X

Button watches, helpless, as Harry gets ready to leave. He's been called into work at the bakery tonight, which isn't usually a problem because it happens sometimes. But the problem is that Niall is here and Harry has told Niall to just stay here and that he would be back in six hours. And Button really, really, really doesn't want to be left alone with Niall. 

She's meowing at Harry, following him around the bedroom as he gathers his work clothes and shoves them into his rucksack before following him out into the front hall. He's telling Niall to keep her company and that he can, of course, eat and drink whatever he wants – but Button doesn't even care about that because she's too busy getting herself tangled in Harry's legs. She may have gotten used to her limbs – and her tail – in the last few years, but Harry still has trouble deciphering the use for his own and she thinks that maybe if she makes him fall, he won't have to go to work.

"Button, c'mon, stop," Harry murmurs, moving her around so he can push his rather large feet into his black boots. "Ni, babe, can you get her?"

She meows and huffs as the blond boy reaches down for her and then holds her tight against his chest so she can't escape. She squirms and wiggles and lets her claws out as she tries to get away from him, meanwhile Harry leans forward to kiss Niall's lips – and brush his nose against Niall's – and then leans down to kiss her between the ears.

The second the door closes behind Harry, Button manages to wriggle herself out of Niall's arms, landing on all fours on the floor at his feet. She turns, instinctively, and hisses at him.

"Yeah, yeah, you hate me – I get it," he mutters. "You know, I'm not too fond of you either."

He turns away, making his way into the living room for the couch – but Button is faster, running past him to jump onto the cushion he usually sits on. He glares at her and attempts to sit on the other cushion but she moves onto that one too, looking up at him innocently. 

"Really?" he asks rhetorically. "You do know I'm bigger than you, don't you?"

She hisses as he picks her up and then sits down on the cushion he usually claims before setting her back down on the other. She sits facing him, glaring at him. 

"You're gonna have to share eventually, ya know. 'm not going anywhere."

She continues to glare at him as he reaches for the remote and turns on the TV box. He looks at her out of the corner of his eyes a few times, his gaze flickering between her and the TV box before he sighs.

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looks sideways at her. "Okay, here's the thing, Button. Harry tells me I should talk to you more but the thing is you're a cat and, well, what the fuck am I supposed to say to fucking cat, ya know? It's not like you can talk back and how the hell am I even supposed to know if you can understand English? Harry seems to think you can but he's a little odd, yeah?"

Button agrees that yes, Harry is a bit odd. But he's just Harry and she loves Harry.

"I get it, though, he wants us to get along or whatever – even though I really don't get why, it's not like I need your permission or your acceptance or anything. You're a cat. Worse comes to worse we spend the rest of your lives ignoring each other. But it's what he wants and...I want to give him everything he wants. I want to give him everything, Button, and he wants both of us, ya know?"

Button blinks – and maybe her shoulders soften a little bit as she watches him talk.

"And I know you love him and you worship the ground he walks on – you're completely smitten by him. And so am I, ya know? I mean, I'm kind of in love with him and-" He cuts himself off, looking wide-eyed and scared. He sits up, starting to breathe heavily as he clutches one hand to his chest. "Jesus," he murmurs, gasping for air. "Fuck – oh my God – fuck."

Crazy is yet another word Button tucks away in the box of Niall-related vocabulary in her head.

"I've never admitted that to anyone... I've never even admitted it to myself before so don't say any-never mind, you can't even talk," he remembers, burying his head into his hands for a minute. He looks back at her with soft eyes. "Look, the point is, I really – I care about him, okay? And I really, really like him and...and I'm willing to make peace with you for him. Okay?" He holds out his fist to her. "Deal?"

She stares at him for a few seconds longer, curious. He seems genuine enough and his voice is soft and caring and maybe she believes him a little bit.

And then she looks at his fist before bumping her head gently against his knuckles.

X

Button meows. And meows. And meows. She's hungry and cranky because she's hungry and Harry should've been up to feed her two hours ago. But Harry is fast asleep, sprawled across the bed with Niall. (They'd come in drunk last night, stumbling noisily around the flat and giggling as they both tripped and fell onto the bed. Harry had nearly crushed her – and would have if Niall hadn't picked her up out of the way.)

Niall, however, isn't so asleep as he groans and rolls over, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her. He shushes her and then looks at the clock and groans once more. So she meows. "Okay – okay, just shush, he's hung over," he whispers. He pushes himself up, disentangling himself from Harry before climbing out of the bed and pulling on a pair of track pants. He yawns, tapping his fingers against his thigh in a motion for her to follow him. 

So she does, trotting out of the room just as Niall closes the door behind her, leaving it open just a crack.

"Okay, Button, you're gonna have to help with this one 'cause I haven't a clue where your food is hiding," Niall says softly. "Teamwork, yeah?"

Button meows at him, trotting towards the tall pantry next to the front door as Niall begins searching the cupboards under and over the sink. 

"You know, sitting in front of that pantry isn't gonna do you any good if I can't find the damn-"

She starts scratching at the door, meowing loudly.

"Would you – what are you doing?" He pulls the door open, realization dawning on his face. "Oh. Okay. Thanks," he says, looking down at the large plastic container of dry cat good. 

She watches as Niall fetches her food bowl and then brings it to the pantry before taking the lid off the container and filling her bowl. He replaces the lid, closes the pantry and then puts her bowl back onto the floor before refilling her water bowl and standing back to admire his work. She stares at him for a moment and he stares back.

"What? Did I do it wrong?"

She turns, then, and starts to eat.

Niall is eating his own breakfast – a bowl of cereal – at the table a few minutes later when Button decides she's had enough, jumps onto the table and sits on the opposite side of his bowl.

Harry comes out of the bedroom, then, in nothing but a pair of boxers. He's yawning and scratching tiredly at the back of his neck. "I'm so hung over," he moans, dragging his feet across the hardwood floor.

Niall chuckles. "That'll teach ya to compete with an Irishman then, won't it?" he teases.

Harry stops, then, and looks between Niall and Button. "What are you two doing?"

"I fed her. She was starving because you were too hung over to get up on time," Niall replies.

"How'd you know where the food was?"

"The Princess here showed me," he says, motioning to Button. "It was real teamwork, right girl?" He holds his fist out to her and she bumps her head against his knuckles.

Harry quirks an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Niall shrugs. "It's a thing we do, Styles. Get used to it," he teases.

Harry laughs – and then promptly winces and clutches at his forehead. "Ow," he moans pitifully. 

"I'll get you some aspirin, have a seat," Niall says, pushing himself out of the chair. He presses a kiss to Harry's curls and then swats at his bum before disappearing into the bathroom.

Harry sits down, resting his elbows on the table and holding his head in his hands. Button walks across the table and rubs herself against his forearm before poking her face underneath his to bump her head against his chin. "Hi, babes," he whispers, leaning back.

She crawls down into his lap, then, curling herself into a ball as Niall emerges from the bathroom. He hands Harry two little green ball-like things and a glass of water, which he swallows in one gulp before looking up fondly at the blond boy. "You're the best, Ni."

And maybe Harry isn't completely lying, Button thinks, because Niall did take it upon himself to feed her. 

X

Niall is like a puppy, Button decides. (Which probably explains her extreme dislike for him in the beginning.) He's big and he's loud and he's easily excitable – and when he's excitable he seems even bigger and he gets even louder and he jumps around and makes a ruckus. But at the same time he's really kind of loving and loyal – and he likes to cuddle when he's tired.

He's like the dog a family brings home that turns the cat's life upside down and thus the cat hates the dog because it's obnoxious and weird and in-your-face and so the cat ignores the dog and pretends it doesn't exist but then the cat realizes the dog isn't a bad dog, it's just different and it just wants to be friends and to be loved – and maybe the dog isn't as horrible or annoying as the cat originally thought. Maybe the dog is kind of cute and warm and protective. And maybe the cat is growing a little bit fond of the dog, although she'll never admit it.

X

Button follows a butterfly out onto a ledge on the wall outside the window and, although she manages to turn herself around, she's too scared to walk back. So she meows and meows and meows until Harry pops his head out the window. He starts to freak out, calling hysterically for Niall, panicking about what they should too. He starts to climb onto the windowsill but she can hear Niall telling him not to because he's too much of a mess. 

And then all of a sudden Niall is climbing onto the windowsill, straddling it with his chest pressed against the side of the wall as he reaches out for her. She cowers, afraid she's going to fall, which results in her taking a few steps away from him. 

"Hey, no, it's okay," Niall coos softly. "It's okay, I'm gonna help you, babes. C'mere, Princess, c'mon. I won't let you fall, okay? Just c'mere." His voice is soft and soothing and coaxing and Button wants to walk towards it but she can't move. She wants Niall to save her but she can’t help him do it.

Eventually, after much coaxing, Niall gets his hand around her and pulls her swiftly into his chest before Harry pulls him back inside by the shoulders. Harry wretches her from Niall's arms and holds her tight against his chest, crying into her fur. She spends all day in Harry's arms because he refuses to put her down and she very much likes feeling warm and safe, being held by Harry. 

At night, however, once Harry is asleep – having passed out from exhaustion, Button wriggles herself out of Harry's arm and walks around his head on the pillow to where Niall is lying behind him, his body curled around Harry's. She bumps her head against his gently, rubbing her face in his hair. 

He stirs and cranes his neck to look at her before rolling back onto his back. "Hi, Princess," he whispers through the darkness.

She crawls across his shoulders and onto his chest and then lies down on top of him. He, too, feels warm and safe to her now and this is her way of thanking him. 

"You really scared him, ya know," he murmurs, bringing his hand up to stroke her back and then play with one of her ears. "Scared me too."

X

Niall has a lot of hats, which he leaves everywhere all over the flat. And, for once, Button doesn't mind because for one: they smell good and she likes to rub her face on the fabric, and two: they make for good toys sometimes. Especially when neither Harry nor Niall are home. 

Niall also takes a lot of pictures of her; he's always telling Harry things like "wait, lemme take a picture" before shoving his phone in her face and "I took this picture when you were gone." And Button doesn't tend to mind – except for when the bright light goes off, which it has on occasion, because it hurts her eyes. But then, Niall always apologizes and rubs her face softly if it does.

Today is not only a day where Button is amusing herself by playing with one of Niall's hats she found on the floor but also one where Niall has been taking pictures of her all day. He's been all giggles and playful all day, tossing the hat around for her chase and pounce on. (And, okay, so maybe Niall is kind of fun.)

It's later in the afternoon, whilst they're waiting for Harry to come home from work, when they're both tired and lounging lazily on the couch that Niall announces that he has a plan. He scoops her up off the cushion and places her in his lap; she balances on the bagginess of his track pants, facing him as he tells her to hold still. He pulls the hat off his head, then, and places it on hers. 

Her head, however, is much smaller than his so the hat covers her whole head and hides her face. He continues to tell her to hold still – and then she hears the soft click of his phone, which she knows is the sound it makes when he takes a picture. 

As if on cue, the front door opens and then Harry's voice carries through the flat. "What are you guys doing?" he asks, which has become a common question in Harry's vocabulary lately. 

"Look at her, isn't she adorable?!" Niall laughs.

"You can't even see her face."

"Exactly – because the hat's too big. But she loves it."

All of a sudden the hat is being lifted off her head as Niall places it back on his own and Harry is walking into the living room, shaking his head with a smile. He bends down to kiss Niall's lips and then hovers with his face over Button's. She looks up at him expectantly before he kisses her face too and then plops down onto the couch beside them.

Button looks from Harry, who rests his head on Niall's shoulder, to Niall, who rests his head on top of Harry's. And all she wants is the hat, so she stretches up, placing her paws on Niall's chest as she bumps her nose against Niall's hat, effectively knocking it off. Niall laughs and Harry snickers as the hat falls off Niall's head and into Harry's lap. She then crawls from Niall's lap into Harry’s and makes herself comfortable on top of Niall's hat. 

"Yeah, she's pretty adorable," Harry coos.

X

Niall doesn't come over the next day. Or the next day. Or the next. Button wonders what happened to him, where he is and why he isn't here. Niall hasn't been gone this long since Harry brought him around the first time. And she'll never admit to missing him but, well, she doesn't like that he isn't here. 

Harry doesn't like it either. He's been mopey and depressed and lonely since Niall left a few mornings ago.

The only upside to Niall's absence – apart from the fact that her living space is finally calm and quiet – is that Harry is around for more (and longer) kitty cuddles.

Button is lying on the bed when Harry comes bounding into the room after work. He tosses his bag on the floor and then grabs his laptop off the desk and brings it with him towards the bed. He picks her up with one hand before flopping down on his stomach on the bed, placing her carefully underneath him in the space between his chest and the bed.

"We're Skyping with Niall, babes," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He opens the laptop, then, and works his fingers over the buttons. 

Button loves Harry's laptop because it's warm and it makes this really soothing buzzing noise. She walks over him and tries to lie down on the buttons but Harry pulls her back, burying her in his chest. But, okay, Harry's warm too so she stays. 

The laptop makes a loud noise, then, and Niall's face pops up on the screen.

"Hiiiii!" Harry exclaims happy, shifting onto one elbow as he waves with the other hand.

"Hi, babe!" 

Button's ears perk up at the sound of Niall's voice and she pokes her head out to glance around the screen at the door. But Niall isn't there.

"He's not here, Button, he's there," Harry says, tapping his finger against the screen. "Say 'hi', Niall."

"Hi, Princess," Niall laughs.

Her ears perk up again as she wriggles out from underneath Harry. She follows his fingers to the screen, to where Niall's face is. She crawls onto the buttons, sitting back as she paws at the spot where Niall's nose is. Both boys laugh at her as she meows.

"Here, up here," Harry murmurs, lifting his finger to a spot at the top of the screen and she follows it with her nose.

"Button, Button," Niall calls and she steps back to survey the screen. He's holding his fist up. "Bump it, baby girl."

She purrs, bumping her head gently against where Niall's fist is before rubbing her body along the length of the screen.

"She misses you," Harry says.

"Yeah? Anybody else miss me?"

"I might, but only a little."

"Only?"

"Okay, fine, a lot. Don't make a big deal out of it," Harry teases.

Niall laughs – and it's loud and endearing and Button thinks it sounds like normal. "Well, I might miss you a little bit too."

Harry giggles. "How's Ireland though?"

"Brilliant! You'll have to come with me next time, babe."

"I will, yeah. I'll make sure I can get the time off work."

Button takes it upon herself to let them talk as she crawls onto Harry's back and climbs up to rest on his shoulder, watching Niall's face move around on the screen as he goes on and on and on... And, okay, maybe she will admit to missing him. A little.

X

Button can hear them before they even get to the door. She smells Niall, can hear his voice and his giggle drifting from down the hall as they get closer and closer to the door. She jumps off the windowsill and bolts across the flat to the door, sitting patiently behind it.

She hears them stop and hears Harry's key in the lock before the door swings open. Harry comes in in front of Niall but she finds Niall's legs quickly, rubbing herself against them and weaving herself in between them. He stumbles and laughs and she meows in response.

"Whoa, hey-"

"Button!" Harry calls, trying to make his voice sound firm around his giggle. "Hey, c'mon, give the lad a minute to get settled, yeah?" He scoops her into his arms, away from Niall as the blond boy removes his jacket and kicks off his shoes.

She squirms, trying to wiggle herself free to get to Niall.

Harry laughs, shaking his head as he struggles to keep her still. "He'll give you cuddles in a minute, just-"

Niall grins, turning away from the closet where he'd just hung up his jacket to face them both. "Here, gimme her," he murmurs, reaching out to take her from Harry.

Button purrs and buries herself into the fabric of Niall's shirt as he cradles her to his chest. He coos at her and kisses her nose as he carries her into the living room, where he falls back on the couch. 

"Oh, I see how it is. Just, you know, leave me out here all alone," Harry teases from the front hall. 

Niall hums, propping his head back on a pillow against one arm of the couch. "Hurry up then if you want a cuddle."

Button curls herself up on Niall's chest, basking in his warmth and his softness and the steady beat of his heart. 

"Nah, I get it. You're just using me for my cat," Harry says, standing at the other end of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Harryyy!" Niall whines, kicking his feet in the arm. 

Harry giggles – and then Button feels the couch dip slightly at the other end, near Niall's legs, as Harry climbs on top Niall. They both shift around until they find a comfy position where Harry's sandwiched between Niall's side and the back of the couch, his face buried into the crook of Niall's neck. Button gets up and moves closer to Harry before settling back on Niall's chest. Once comfortable, she bumps her head gently against Harry's hand, which is splayed across Niall's chest. He pets her a few times, per request, and then starts to play with her ear, flicking it between his fingers softly. 

Niall hums again and Button can feel the rumble in his chest. 

"Never leave again," Harry whispers.

"Never," Niall agrees. 

"Like, seriously. Not without taking us with you. It's too quiet around here without you, aye Button?"

Niall laughs. "Never," he whispers again.

And this, Button decides, is happiness. Here, with her human and her human's human, is home.  
Niall was a menace before – is still a menace, in some ways. But he's kind of adorable and dorky and charming, which are all – and just some – of the things she loves about Harry. So how can she not love them in Niall? 

Harry will always be her favourite human – but maybe Niall's her second favourite human after all.


End file.
